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Monday, October 21, 2013

My "Little Books of Southern Poems" Have Benefited Greatly From The Kindness of Strangers

Sweetest Day, observed on the 3rd Saturday in
the month of October (this year October 19th), was originally begun to
honor sweethearts, close friends, relatives or employees with special
gift of sweets or chocolate. Sweetest Day was first organized by candy
manufacturers to promote the health benefits of eating candy and
chocolate everyday.

Sweetest Day has become a time to
honor/recognize/remember friends, relatives and associates whose
helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.

I am sure that we have heard the saying: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers"The statement uttered and made famous by character Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams' play, "A
Street Car Named Desire", rings very true for me in my literary
journey of publishing and promoting my "two little books of southern
poems"...or more affectionately known as my "my book babies".

Strangers
have played a tremendous part in helping me to further my message of
"Celebrating the South and Promoting a Positive Mississippi ". The
contributions of these "strangers" (and now considered friends) have
been invaluable.I would venture to say that up to 90% of my book
signings /speaking engagements have come from Facebook friends or
referrals from Facebook friends, whom I had never met before the
event.

One social networking friend, who did one of the first
articles/reviews of Reflections in her newsletter in late 2008 or
early 2009, called it "a celebration of the south". That phrase stuck
with me and I use it to this day to describe both of my books.

I have shared many times how grateful I am to a dear Facebook friend, Debra
Estep from Ohio who makes beautiful graphics for my poems. Her artistic
talents have helped to make my poems much more easily shared over social
media sites. Also, I have many Facebook and social media friends who
have been extremely supportive of my work over many years and share,
share, share my poems consistently to everyone that they know. Many are
often giving me tips and leads on how I can further the reach of my
poems and my message. I can hardly begin to express how greatly these
people have been and are appreciated !

Beautiful Watercolor magnolias by Debra Estep that are on many of my poem graphics

Tennessee Williams was born in Columbus, MISSISSIPPI.Williams
described his childhood in Mississippi as pleasant and happy. But life
changed for him when his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri. The
carefree nature of his boyhood was stripped in his new urban home, and
as a result Williams turned inward and started to write.When he
was 28, Williams moved to New Orleans, where he changed his name (he
landed on Tennessee because his father hailed from there) and revamped
his lifestyle, soaking up the city life that would inspire his work,
most notably the later play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Williams
adapted much of his best work for the cinema, and also wrote short
stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoirs. On March 31, 1945, his
play, The Glass Menagerie, opened on Broadway and two years later A
Streetcar Named Desire earned Williams his first Pulitzer Prize. His
work reached world-wide audiences in the early 1950s when The Glass
Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire were made into motion pictures.
Later plays also adapted for the screen included Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,
The Rose Tattoo, Orpheus Descending, The Night of the Iguana, Sweet Bird
of Youth, and Summer and Smoke.

In honor of my "SWEET" Ohio friend Debra .........

Sweetest Day - National Holiday Founded in Cleveland Ohio

Sweetest Day, observed on the third Saturday of October, was
started in Cleveland in 1922 by candy employee and philanthropist,
Herbert Birch Kingston as a way to give something or do something nice
to those less fortunate than ourselves. Originally called "The Sweetest
Day of the Year," Sweetest Day has evolved into a romantic holiday,
similar to Valentine's Day.

History:

The
first Sweetest Day came out of one man's desire to do something "sweet"
for Cleveland's orphans and unfortunate residents. With the help of
movie stars, Theda Bara and Ann Pennington, Herbert Birch Kingston,
delivered thousands of boxes of candy throughout the city. Begun in
1922, the holiday, observed on the third Saturday of each month, became
popular during the bleak economic times of the Great Depression.

Sweetest Day Today:

Although
it started as a regional holiday, Clevelanders have taken the custom
with them as they moved around the country. Today, Ohio still tops the
list in sales of Sweetest Day cards, but other states on the top ten
list include California, Texas, and Florida. Over the years, the
holiday has evolved into a day to celebrate romantic love, similar to
Valentine's Day.

*Mississippi*

Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum - Vicksburg MS

About Me

Mississippi Author and Poet Patricia Neely-Dorsey , is a
1982 graduate of Tupelo High School in Tupelo, MS. She received a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Psychology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. She
is the author of two books of poetry, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-and
My Magnolia Memories and Musings.

She calls both books a celebration
of the south and things southern. Using childhood memories, personal thoughts and
dreams, the author attempts to give a positive glimpse into the southern way of
life.

Patricia currently lives in Tupelo
with her husband James, son Henry and Miniature Schnauzer ,
Happy.